The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-13
A Head Constable Ambushed and Slain by
Mo0nlighters in Contest in which Fire
arms We're Not Used by Either Party.
Mr.. Balfour Again Defends the Police
Who Fired On the Mitchelst0Wn Mob.
Mr. Labouchere Declares the Officers Action
stone Charges Negligence and Stupidity.
ANOTHER IRISH TRAGEDY.
An Assassin alton Witch ComeSJnst in Time
to Help the Conservatives.

<AA <AeSassiA-tIon winch SOmeSOH6L III 4ifno
to Help the Conservatives.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LONDON, Sept. 12-''It's an ill-wind that
blows nobody good" is saying forever true. If
one can call q sad and tragic murder fortunate,
then the murder of constable Wnelan by the
mconlighters, last night, in house near Ennis
is most fortunate occurrence for the govern
ment, coming as it does directly in the wake of
the Mitchelstown affair." When the Ministry
are at their wits end to give some reasonable ex
planation OF the unfortunate ARRAY; while they
are the subject of loud denunciations and low
muttered revilings on al. sides, it is eagerly
seized upon by them as legitimate excuse and
complete vindication for the killing of the old
man Lonergan. In fact, it is god-send to the
government. It proves what they have long
been anxious to establish and have sought by
every means, fair and foul, to make England be-
lieve, namely, that there is crime in Ireland.
Indeed there is crime in Ireland, and the differ
ence between the crime of the police in shooting
old man Lonergan down in cold blood and the
crime of the moonlighters in killing Whelan is
that the former murder by authority,
while the latter is the work OF red-handed as
sassins and bran1s all Ireland with the name
The killing OF the head constable was
tragic affair, indeed. Whelan, at the
head OF posse of twelve police,
confronted by eight moonlghters. and
Immediately bloody battle ensued. No fire.
arms were used. They were at too close range
for that, but a hand-to-hand encounter was
bravely fought. Whelan was killed at the out
set by powerful blow on the head from a
bludgeon. His fall was the signal for deter
mined onslaught by his companions, who after
a fearful struggle, during which several broken
=. -J. 49, 81 =.
oyerpowering the moonlighters. five of whom
they captured. Whelan had been twenty-five
years in the police service and had been sta
toned at Ennis He leaves widow and five
children.
moonlghters and lulled their suspicious until
they were inside the house. when terrible
struggle began. The police feared that if they
made use of firearms they might
kill their comrades. SO they fought with stocks
dubbed rifles and chairs. It is reported that
Whelan was keeping watch outside and that {. I
second gang of moonlightors came up, battered
in his skull with stones and then decarnped.
In the House of Commons tonight. the Tories
made the most of Whelan's murder, and were
delighted at the loophole it afforded them to
excupate themselves from the blame that at
tached to them on account of the Mitchelstown
tragedy. Mr. Balfour. Chief Secretary for Ire
land. pinned his argument upon the occurrence,
and found in it sufficient excuse for all the re-
suits of all the governments coercive policy in
Ireland. Mr.. Gladstone in answer to the Sec
retary, made most drastic speech in which he
carefully drew attention to the difference be-
tween a band of outlaws like the moonlighters,
whom everybody, including the Irish, looked
down upon and discountenaced, killing consta-
BILE, and a cold-blooded and entirely unwar-
ranted attack by the police. The venerable
home-ruler insisted that previous errors even
his own were excuse for the most regretta-
BILE murders at Mitchelstown. The bulk of the
speeches delivered tonight in the House were
calculated to effect the electors at large in
England, if they did not the Tory members of
Parliament.